Machine for assembling soles with preshaped uppers



Aug. 24, 1954 L. s. MACDONALD ,686,

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SOLES WITH PRESHAPED UPPERS Filed June 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l d r a 0 m Q: mm mw e M m 6 F .1 J@ S 9 mm w: Aw QQ N as L V3: mm \mm a u \5 3. 3m 3w I NQ I 8 @QWH @QN o -irLl g H o: b\ Ill Q 9 Q9 3: 3

8" 24, 1954 L. s. MACDONALD 2,686,923

I MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SOLES WITH PRESHAPED UPPERS Filed June 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [n venior' Lesfer 6f Nacdona/o B l f. TIE 'y \l' Aug. 24, 1954 L. s. MACDONALD 2,686,923

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SOLES WITH PRESHAPED UPPERS I Filed June 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Lesfer 5: Mace 0770b 1954 L. s. MACDONALD 2,686,923

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SOLES WITH PRESHAPED UPPERS Filed June 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 k\ I I V g- 24, 1954 L. s. MACDONALD 2,686,923

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SOLES WITH PRESHAPED UPPERS Filed June 13. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /\T\BACK sEAMs s COMMON E91] SYMMETRIC HEEL END TURNING AXIS TURNING AXIS OF UPPER OF UPPER CENTER LINE OF HEEL END RIGHTSHOE LEFT SHOE THROAT OFFSET MEASURED HERE TIP OFFSET 8 ANGLE OF TURNING x I z AXIS OF INSOLE FROM r CENTER LINE OF HEEL NOTCHES TND cATE 0N TIP/\MQUNT TO OFFSET l WHEN ASSEMBLING I [nven for U A Lesfer L5: Nacdanak/ TURNING/\XIS I OFINSOLE I Patented Aug. 24, 1954 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SOLES WITH PRESHAPED UPPERS Lester S. Macdonald, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 13, 1952, Serial No. 293,347

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for assembling and attaching in shoe-forming relation a sole member and a partially formed shoe upper. More particularly and as herein illustrated, the invention relates to machinery for accurately locating, on the last, an insole relatively to an upper having a preformed or molded end portion, and then fastening the shoe parts together by adhesive while occupying their appropriate relative positions. While the invention is illustrated as applied to the premoldeol heel end of an upper and a welt insole, either or both of which may have been precemented, it is to be understood that in its several aspects the invention is not limited in use to welt shoe construction, to preformed components to be attached by means of cement, or to a machine of the exact construction herein described.

An important consideration in connection with obtaining more uniform shoemaking by machines is the attainment of a consistently high degree of accuracy in the location of sole members with relation to the configurations of correspondingly sized and styled shoe uppers. It may be readily appreciated that if a partially formed upper portion and an insole, for example, even though initially cut and correspondingly shaped with precision, are not assembled and properly located with respect to each other, subsequent steps in manufacturing are not likely to remedy the situation but may very well confirm the error, or Worse, cause further and greater misshaping and misfitting of parts in the finished shoe. A common practice is that of manually spotting an insole on a last and then attaching it temporarily by one or more tacks driven into the last bottom. These tacks must subsequently be removed; the tacking defaces the last rendering its bottom in need of frequent repair, and moreover there is no assurance that the last-insole assembly will thereafter bear a fixed and uniformly correct relationship to the upper and other shoe components subsequently to be added. For these reasons this invention, at this critical stage of construction, avoids the use of a last in attaining a firm and proper relationship between an insole and its correspondingly graded upper, dispenses with the conventional heel seat lasting operation, and affords a basic and superior frame- Work to which other shoe components, as well as the last itself or a portion thereof, if desired, may thereafter be added in appropriate relationship to provide a well constructed and finished shoe that assuredly has the desired accuracy in both detail and such over-all characteristics as proportion and fit.

In view of the above, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for convenient and rapid attachment of a sole to a partially formed upper in reliably permanent and accurate relation before they are associated with a shoe last, or otherwise further processed. To this end, and in accordance with features of the invention, the herein illustrated machine is provided with a support having the contour of the heel end for engaging in register the heel end of an insole and a superimposed molded back part, or heel portion, of an upper, said support being movable from a loading position to an attaching station, a forepart locating device movable laterally and longitudinally with respect to the support for holding clamped the marginal toe portion of an upper received by the support, and means mounted on said device for movement lengthwise of the clamped upper and arranged to engage the toe of the insole and hold the latter properly alined relatively to the superimposed upper during their joint movement toward said attaching station and during attaching. As herein illustrated, a single depressible pin mounted in the support is received by a prepunched hole in the sole to aid in registering the heel end of the latter with said support. Also to assist in positioning the superimposed heel portion of the upper with respect to said support, prior to the marginal toe clamping, means is provided for locating the back seam predeterminedly with respect to the contour of the support.

Another feature of the present invention consists in the combination with means for alining and holding in selected relative positions the foreparts of an upper and an insole, the back parts of which are to be attached, of a symmetric heel support enlargeable Widthwise for engaging the inner and opposite sides of the heel portion of the upper while registering with the heel portion of an insole thereon, and means for shifting said forepart holding means from the right side of the longitudinal center line of the heel support an equal extent to the left thereof and vice versa. This organization permits operations on rights and lofts to be performed eifectively in a single station type of machine, and enables easy and successive assembly of the right and left shoes of a pair. The organization also affords convenient means for shifting the so-called turning axis of the forepart of an upper toward the inside or instep of the shoe relatively to the socalled turning axis of the insole by a predetermined amount to assure a uniform lasting margin. It will be understood that in some aspects the invention may be practiced, but perhaps not so conveniently, by the substitution of appropriately shaped and sized, individual right or left heel supports for the single enlargeable, symmetric heel support above mentioned.

As disclosed in the herein illustrated machine, manually operated means are provided for jointly moving the heel support and forepart locating device in a direction lengthwise of the shoe parts, and in unchanged relative positions, to present the back parts to an operative position in which a micro-switch cooperative with said support is arranged automatically to actuate fastening means. The latter is, in this instance, in the form of a pressure applying member and for the purposes of description it may be assumed that the pressure applying means which actuate this member is, essentially, that of the sole pressing machine disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,486,537, dated November l, 19%, and granted inthe name of Paul W. Senfieben. It will be understood that any other suitable pressure applying mechanism may be employed in lieu of that herein shown by way of example, and that if other fastening means than adhesive is preferred in attaching a sole and upper, ap-

propriate fastener inserting instrumentalities or thelike may be employed and actuated by equivalent means without departing from the scope of this invention. Presentation of the back parts of the shoe to the operative station for action a by said pressure applying member adhesively to attach the preformed and flanged portion of the back part'to the insole is also effective automatically to operate novel wiping means. The latter comprises a pair of wipers which are moved inwardly against the opposite premolded sides of the heel portion of the upper to assure that it snugly embraces the respective side edge faces of the formed heel support and of the insole before attaching pressure is applied by said member. Mechanism carried and actuated by the pressure applying member also is arrange yieldingly to engage the central portion of the heel end of the insole thereby acting to hold the latter fiat on the heel support and countering any subsequent tendency of the wipers to cause widthwise movement or bending of the insole.

As. used herein the term upper is intended to. refer collectively to the upper portions of footwear and'may comprise a vamp, quarters, stays, counter and lining. The term sole is intended to include insole and/or outsole as the case may appear from context. The so-called turning axis of a sole or upper refers to that hypothetical line in thebottom pattern of each which lies in the vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis on which a last (that last corresponding to the particular sole and upper) was turned in a lathe.

Though by no means essential to the usage of apparatus afforded by this invention, to facilitate relative positioning of the insole and upper without a last and with requisite accuracy in respect of each other and of the machine, the shoes to be made will preferably have an insole pattern in which the heel ends are longitudinally symmetric and a longitudinal center line of a heel end will bear a known angular relation to the so-called turning axis of the insole pattern. extending. through its forepart. Also it is contemplated that, for better control in shoemaking operations, the intersection of said heel center line and forepart turning axis may lie at the center of curvature of the heel support and of the insole heel end, said center and intersection then coinciding with the axis of a last spindle if a last is to be subsequently employed. The toe end of the turning axis of the insole pattern may be indicated as by a precut notch though, as will appear, the illustrated machine is provided with means for locating such axis without the insole being notched. Preferably indicia, such as two notches, would be made in the lasting margin of the toe portion of an upper when the latter is died out. Thus, for example, it is contemplated one notch would be made to register with the turning axis of the insole and another would lie a predetermined amount, of the order of about to the right or left of the first notch in the upper, depending on whether a right or left were being operated upon, the latter notch to be used as an alining indicator as will be explained.

Two concepts whichlmay advantageously be employed in conjunction with this invention to derive improved accuracy in systems of shoe assembly are set forth respectively in United States Letters Patent No. 1,943,547, issued on February 27, 1934 in the name of Lawrence E. Topham relating to the geometric grading of lasts, shoe parts and shoes, and in United States Letters Patent No. 2,514,518, issued on July 11, 1950 in the name of George F. Ryan and pertaining to the diagonal grading of shoes and lasts. The latter discloses a method by which the interchangeability of symmetric heel end portions of shoes may be increased without attendant sacrifice in style and fit characteristics and thereby complements the machine of the present invention as will become apparent.

The above and other features of the present invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

in the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of an upper having 'a premolded back part which hasbeen assembled with and attached to an insole of a left shoe in the illustrated machine and without the use of a last;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of an illustrative machine in which the invention is embodied, portions. not pertinent to the invention being omitted, and showing the parts in their initial or work loading positions;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the machine and work shown in Fig. 2, portions'being in section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 but showing portions of the machine in operative position for attaching the alined insole and upper, the heel pressure applying plate being indicated in phantom by a broken line;

Fig. 5 is a'view in end elevation of those portions of the machine shown in Fig. 4, certain parts being in vertical section, and the work being shown in a section taken along the line V-V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6' is a view in vertical section taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 3 and showing a portion of wiper operating mechanism;

Fig. '7 is a view in side elevation and on an enlarged scale of the forepart locating and clamping device shown at the left of Fig. 2, portions being broken away to clarify details of construction;

Fig. ,8 is a view in section taken on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view in verticalsection of certain parts of the machine taken on the line IX-IX of Fig. 3;

Fig. is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the heel support; shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and

Fig. 11 is a schematic plan View of a selected pair of insoles and uppers, their symmetric heel ends being superimposed and their foreparts shown as alined for attachment by the illustrated machine.

The operating elements of the machine illustrated in the drawings comprise a manually movable forepart locating device generally designated (Fig. 2), a manually movable heel support generally designated 22, a power operated heel pressure applying plate 24 movable vertically to cooperate with the support 22, and a pair of heel end engaging wipers 26, 26 (Fig; 3) automatically actuated by operation of said plate. To load the machine, its parts being initially in positions as indicated in Fig. 2, an insole I is placed with its heel portion on the support 22,a pin 28 normally projecting upwardly from the latter to be received in a pre-punched positioning hole 30 (Fig. 11) lying on the center line of the heel of the insole. Next, a correspondingly sized and styled upper U, devoid of a last and having a pre-molded heel portion H and back seam S, and with its toe end provided with two notches, Fig. 11, is so positioned by hand that its preformed and precemented heel seat flange F is superimposed on the heel portion of the insole, the marginal portions of the forepart of the upper then loosely enveloping and extending upwardly about the forepart of the insole. A forwardly extending slide 32 on which the support 22 is fixedly mounted also serves pivotally to support in angularly adjustable relation a bar 34 on which the forepart locating device 20 is suitably disposed lengthwise of the shoe to receive the marginal toe portion of the upper U while accommodating the toe end of the insole in correct alinement.

A back seam indicator 36 pivotally secured to the rearward end of the bar 34 is engageable with the back seam of the shoe at the heel seat flange when upper and insole are in proper orientation. The aforementioned operating elements are supported on the upper end of a machine frame 38 provided with a lower base portion only a fragment 40 of which is shown in Fig. 2. Horizontal ways 42 formed in the upper end of the frame 38 receive guide rails formed on the slide 32 and soserve to guide the heel support 22, when loaded, from its initial position to an attaching position wherein the support and the plate 24 are in register.

An important phase of loading the machine is the widthwise adjustment of the heel support 22 to accord with the size of the particular insole to be assembled. If diagonal grading be employed astaught in theabove-mentioned Ryan patent, a particular size of heel end of the insole will be applicable to several sizes of shoes and hence the frequency of widthwise adjustment of the support 22 will be considerably lessened. Referring to Figs. 2, 5 and 10, the support 22 has a central body portion secured to the slide 32 by screws 46 and is provided with a bore for receiving the upper end of a vertically movable stem 48 to i which the pin 28 is affixed. It will be noted (Fig. 5) that the bar 34 pivots about a hub 49 formed on the body 44 and that the vertical axis of this hub coincides with the vertical axis of the stem 48 and intersects the longitudinal center line of the work supporting surface of the support 22.

Secured by screws 50 (Fig. 10) to the top of the body 44 is a member 52 provided with concentric grooves for accommodating arcuate tongues 54 respectively integral with complemental heel engaging plates 55, 58. The rearward extremity of the member 52 through which the pin 28 extends is also the arcuate end of a slightly convex, composite surface for engaging the insole I, the plates 56, 58 abutting a portion of said extremity concentric with the tongues 54 and together providing a longitudinally symmetric heel contour. For adjusting the plates 56, 58 widthwise to conform their external boundary with the perimeter of the heel of a sole, the member 52 has a kerf for guiding the hub of a knurled wheel 63, the latter being fixedly mounted on a shaft 62 having spaced, oppositely threaded portions respectively and rotatably received by correspondingly threaded bores formed in pins 64, 64 which are respectively secured to the forward ends of the plates 56, 58. Thus the arrangement is such that turning the wheel 6!] simultaneously moves the plates 56, 58 together toward or away from each other widthwise to the same extent, their movement occurring about the center of curvature of the tongues 54 and said center having been selected to assure enlargement or diminution of the heel contour substantially to correspond with that in the shoes to be assembled.

Continuing with the initial positioning of the work in the machine, the forepart locating device 20 is maneuvered properly to receive the toe portion of both the insole I and upper U, the latter being manually tensioned lengthwise of the shoe to bring its heel seat flange snugly against the heel of the insole and against the outside edge faces of the member 52 and plates 56, 58. Forward movement of the support 22 during this tensioning is prevented .-by a pin 10 engaging a stop 12, the pin 10 being threaded into the body 44 and the stop 12 being fast on the frame 38. The bar 34 is moved angularly with respect to the slide 32 as shown in Fig. 3 to a degree corresponding with the predetermined angle which lies between the center line of the heel end of the insole and the so-called turning axis of the insole pattern. Such angle, .normally of the order of 6 and sometimes termed angle of swing, is constant for shoes of a, given style regardless of whether they are graded on an arithmetic or geometric basis. Consequently to facilitate the angular setting of the bar 34 with respect to the longitudinal centeriline of the heel end support 22, the arcuate front of the slide 32 is provided with a scale 14 extending with like increments to the right and to the left of said heel center line as projected, and means about to be described are provided for quickly moving and registering the forepart locating device 20 carried by the bar 34 an equal distance widthwise either to the right or left of center. The left shoe shown in Fig. 1 appears to the right of center as seen in Fig. 3, and its mate (not shown except in Fig. 11) would be swung to the left of center. A base 16 (Fig. 7) of the device 20 is formed with ways to receive opposite sides of the bar 34, forward movement of the base being limited by a stop 15 (Fig. 3). Beneath the base 16 but secured by screws to the under side of the bar 34 is a member 18, Fig. 2, transversely rabbeted to receive and ride on the arcuately tongued front end of the slide 32. A pair of bell crank levers B0, 82 pivotally mounted, respectively, on opposite sides of the member 18 is arranged so that depending arms may be grasped unlatched bar 34" widthwise, relatively to the slide 32. The other arms of the bell cranks 30, 82 act as latches, each being biased upwardly by a spring 84 seated in the member I8. Detents 86, 88 are adjustably secured to the scale-bearing front end of the slide 32, as may be required by the predetermined angle of swing, by means of shoulder bolts 90 threaded therein and extending through transverse slots formed in the detents, Fig. 5. A notch S2 and cooperative cam surface 94 (Fig. in each suitably positioned detent 85, 88 are disposed to engage and hold the latch arm of an adjacent bell crank lever 80 or 82 thus locking the bar 34 when it has been swung to a right or left operative position of correct angularity.

The aforementioned lengthwise tensioning of the upper is conveniently obtained manually by employing the forepart locating device 25 in the manner now to be described. A rack. We secured by screws to the upper side of the bar 34 is provided with transversely extending teeth M2 toward which a hook-ended, Fig. 2, spring pressed pawl I04 pivotally mounted on the base 16, is biased, Fig. '7. The arrangement is such that the pawl I94 is normally urged to engage consecutive teeth I62 of the rack I00 to lock the base I6 against heelward movement relatively to the bar 34, but the pawl may be depressed on its hooked end (i. e. moved counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 2 and '7) to permit movement of the forepart locating device as along the bar 34 and lengthwise of the shoe. Fixedly mounted in a split sleeve portion of the base I8 is a stem me. To the upper end of this stem there is secured in alinement with the bar 34 a member Hit, the rearward end of which is formed as a handle that may be grasped as illustrated in Fig. 2 and re tracted to effect upper tensioning movement of the device lengthwise of the shoe. A detent H0 pivotally mounted on a pin III secured to the member IIIii is provided with transversely extending teeth arranged in an eccentric arc to engage the margin of the upper at the toe and carries a pin I I2. For operating the detent I It a bell crank lever H t mounted on a pivot I I3, secured-to a lugon the member Hi8, has one arm provided with a notch IIB for receiving the pin IE2, and a spring pressed plunger 3 E5 engageable with a protruding portion Ii'I of the'detent IId. If an arm H8 of the lever H6 is depressed, the plunger I I5 forces the portion I I? to effect clamping by the detentpthe latter becoming locked in clamping position when the knee of the toggle afforded by the detent H0 and an arm of the bell crank lever H4 is moved above the line connecting' the pins III and the pivot Il3. Secured by screws I26 '00- the top of the member I08 is a T-shaped guide bar I22 (Fig. 8) on which an insole toe abutment slide I24 is mounted for movement in a direction alined with the bar 3 1. A. manual control knob I26 is threaded into the slide I24 and a pair of capstan-like projections I28, I28 equally spaced Widthwise from the center line of the bar 34 at the rearward end of the slide I is adapted to engage the edge faces of an insole on opposite sides of its toe and so determinedly position its so-called turning axis. The underside of the rearward end of the guide bar I22 provides aclamping surface with which the eccentric teeth of the detent He may cooperate to hold the upper fast as it is tensioned. A longitudinal slit I32, Figs. 3 and '7, in the rearwardend of the bar I22 is equidistant from the projections I28, I28 and in line with the turning axis of the forepart thereby affordingan' operator'means for sighting and aligning the offset notch in the upper with the turning axis of the insole. The foreparts of the insole and upper havingthus been located relatively to one another in the'positions they are to retain in the finished shoe, the longitudinal tension is retained in the upper by raising the hooked end of the pawl I84 to lock the device 20 on the bar 34, and handles I3t (Figs. 2,3 and 4) formed on the slide 32 may then be used to transfer the loaded heel support 22 and device 26 rearwardly for the attaching operation.

Adjustably threaded into the rear end of the slide 32 is a bolt I46 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) engageable with a lever I42 fulcrumed on the back of the frame 38. The lever I42 is arranged, when pivoted by the bolt Mi) against the resistance of a return spring ltd connected to the frame, to actuate a micro-switch hi6 (Fig. 2) governing the operation of hydraulic pressure applying mechanism which, since it is fully disclosed in the Senfleben patent above referred to, will be here described only with regard to those features important to an understanding of this invention and the operation of the machine illustrative thereof. The heel support 22 is brought to rest in register with the plate 24 as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 by means of a stop screw Hi8 (Figs. 3 and l) adjustably threaded into the slide 32 and engageable with the frame 38, the bolt I40 and the lever M2 previously having been so adjusted as not to operate the switch 1&6 to drive the plate 24 downwardly until the support 22 is in register therewith. The indicator 36, on reaching the attaching position, is automatically swung clear of the rear portion of the shoe against the resistance of a return spring by means of a bolt I50 threaded into the indicator and engaging an abutment 152 (Fig. 4). The switch I46, when actuated by the lever I42, is effective to cause the two rods 54, I56 and a crosshead I 58't0 be drawn downwardly against the resistance of compression springs i653 normally maintaining the crosshead elevated. Mounted on the crosshead I58 is a block m2 to the underside of which there is detachably secured the presser plate 24 having some concavity in its underside and a heel shaped configuration conforming generally to that of the heel engaging plates 56 and 58. Recesses I63, I63 in the forward edge of the plate 24 (Fig. 3) advantageously permit pressure to be applied betweenand around upstanding ribs R on the welt insole without disturbing them. Vertical plungers use, I35, Fig. 2, extend through bores formed in the plate 2 3 and the block I62 and normally project downwardly to-assure that the insole and upper will not be displaced prior to or during pressure application of the plate 24. As the plate it approaches the plates 56, iifi'the plungers yield upwardly againstthe influence of compression springs I68, I'HI respectively mounted thereon, and the plunger IE4 is particularly effective in overcoming a tendency for the insole to be bent widthwise when the wipers 26, 26 are actuated as will next be explained.

Means are provided for bringing the wipers 2t, 2&5 into contact with opposite sides of the upper at its heel portion with equalized pressure. A rearwardly extending central portion I12 of the crosshead I58 affords a vertical bore for slidably receiving a rod I'M (Fig. 2). Fast on the upper end of the rod I'M is a collar I16 and the lower end of the rod I14 is formed as a clevis pivotally to support a transversely extending equalizer bar I18 (Figs. 3 and 6) at its mid-point. A collar I80 slidably mounted on the rod I14 is engageable with, and is depressed downwardly by, the cross head portion I12 during the latter part of its descent to compress a spring I82 seated on the clevis portion of the rod I14 and thus yieldingly forces the crossbar I18 downwardly at its midpoint during operation of the wipers 26. To guide the rod I14 in its vertical movement a flat bar I84 is secured to the clevis portion of the rod and is arranged to ride in a U-shaped guideway formed by uprights I86 bolted to the frame 38 and a plate I88 (Fig. 3). The rod I14 is retracted upwardly by the portion I12 engaging and displacing the collar I16, but whether the mid-point of the bar I18 is thus raised or is lowered, a centralizing pin I=90 bears on the bar tending to hold it horizontal, the other end of thepin I90 abutting a spring I92 seated in a bore formed in the end of the rod I14 (Fig. 6).

Since the construction of the wipers 26, 26 and the mechanism connecting them with the respective ends of the bar I18 are alike, it will sufiice if but one wiper and its associated parts are described, it being understood that they function cooperatively to wipe opposite sides of the upper with substantially the same pressure. A sleeve bearing 200 cast integral with the frame 38 and extending at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the heel support 22 rotatably receives a stub shaft 202 one end of which is afiixed to a crankarm 204 that is connected by a ballnded link 206 with an extremity of the bar I 18. A tension spring .208 maintains the latter in operative relation with the crank arm 204. The forward end of the shaft 202 is secured to the lower end of an arm 210 constituting the lower part of a toggle. An arm 2I2 pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 2I4 in the upper end of the arm 2I0 constitutes the upper portion of the toggle and carries a vertical pivot pin 2I6 on which one of the wipers 26 is pivotally mounted. The latter has a smooth, slightly concave face 2I8 inclined upwardly and inwardly toward an upper when loaded and positioned in the machine as shown in Fig. and is adapted to wipe the upper against one of the edge faces of the plates 56 or 58 and of the insole I. The toggle is spread when wiping pressure is applied against a shoe by the downward movement of an adjacent extremity of the equalizer bar. I18, the wiper 26 thus being moved heightwise of the shoe as a compression spring 220 abutting the arm -2I0 is compressed by the pivotal movement of the arm 2I2. The upward movement of the wiper 26 is also directed heelwardly to some extent due to the angularity of the general vertical plane containing the toggle with the longitudinal plane bisecting the heel end. Preferably the wiping action occurs just before pressing action of the plate 24 thereby maintaining the initial shape premolded into the heel part of the upper. An extension 222 affixed to the wiper 26 is provided with an upstanding wing portion adapted to engage the upper in its shank area and assures that no wrinkle or gap will result in that vicinity adjacent to the insole.

After an appropriate dwell of the plate 24 in pressure applying relation to the insole and heel seat flange the crosshead I58 will be permitted to be raised by the springs I60 and the slide 32 may then be returend to initial loading position. To

remove the shoe from the support 22 the pin 28 is depressed by operating a treadle 224 (Fig. 2) pivotally mounted on the base portion 40 of the frame 38. The treadle is normally retained in an upper position by a tension spring 226 but depressing the treadle is effective through a link 228 to swing downwardly one end of a lever 230 fulcrumed on a pin 232. The lever 230 has a longitudinally extending slot 234 through which the lower end of the stem 48 extends. A return spring 236 mounted on the stem 48 abuts a shoulder thereof and a plate 238 bridging the slot 234 thereby assuring that the pin 28 will normally project upwardly beyond the heel supporting surface of the member 52. A nut 240 threaded on the lower end of the stem 48 and bearing on the lever 230 adjustably determines that the pin 28 will normally project to the extent of the thickness of the insole only. The knob I26 is retracted to free the toe of the insole, and the portion I I8 of the lever I I4 is raised to cause the side of the notch I I 6 to force the pin I I2 downwardly for releasing the upper from the detent I I0. The assembled upper and insole may then be lifted from the machine.

While the method of operating the machine may be rather apparent from the foregoing description of its construction, the steps will now be briefly reconsidered. Assuming that the next shoe to be assembled is the right one of a pair, the left shoe having just been assembled, the operator swings the forepart locating device 20 to the left of center or zero on the scale 14 as seen in Figs. 3 and 11. This is done by unlatching the lever 82 and latching the lever in the notch 92 of the detent 86, the latter having been adjusted to provide the same predetermined angle of swing for the style of shoe being made. The right insole is placed with its pre-punched hole 30 receiving the pin 28 and, in this case the width remaining unchanged, the wheel 60 need not be adjusted. The right upper U is positioned with its precemented and formed heel seat flange loosely mounted or superimposed on the heel portion of the insole until the toe abutment slide I24 is moved rearwardly by means of the knob I26 to cause the projections I28, I28 to engage the insole; then, with the insole thus determinedly positioned, the margin of the toe of the upper, its notch offset from its turning axis being sighted in the slit I82, is clamped in alined position by depressing the portion III; of the bell crank lever II 4 to operate the detent IIO. It

should especially be noted that normally that notch in the toe of the upper lying on its so-called turning axis (Fig. 11) will thus be shifted in wardly or toward the instep (i. e. away from zero of the scale 14) from the corresponding so-called turning axis extremity of the insole until the latter axis is aligned with the second precut notch in the toe of the upper. This offset, normally of the order of and particularly if it be one of a geometrically graded run of shoes as defined in the above-mentioned patent to Topham, remains unchanged in rights and lefts and in different sizes of a given style. Moreover, this inward offset, by reason of the fact that the high portion of an instep occurs inwardly of the longitudinal center line of the human foot, will assure a correct relative positioning ofupper and insole that affords a uniform, predetermined forepart lasting margin, and provides for proper throat and tip line offsets as indicated in Fig. 11. The pin 10 abutting the stop 12, the handle end of the member I08 is next retracted to tension the clamped upper lengthwise and the device 253 is locked relatively to the slide 34 by means of the pawl iil l. Before moving the loaded heel support 22 and device 20 jointly to the attaching station by means of the handles 30, it is desirable to check that the back seam indicator 3% is in line with the back seamof the shoe.

As soon as the support ZZis in register with the plate 24, the insole and upper retaining their now established correct relative positions during rearward movement of the slide 32 and the bar 34, the pressure applying mechanism is actuated by the bolt Mil acting on the lever M2 and the switch I46 as above stated. The plunger lfi l yieldingly descends and contacts the insole to hold it fiat on the heel supporting surface afforded by the plates 58 and 55, while the plunger I66 assures that the rear portion of the heel seat flange F abuts the member 52. Downward movement of the crosshead portion H2 causes the wipers 2B yieldingly to engage the sides of the shoe with equal pressure, the collar 286 being caused to compress the spring i82and thus lower the mid-portion of the equalizer bar lit. The wiper 26 first to meet with resistance in bearing on the shoe will be retarded from further wiping action until the bar H8 assumes a position in which the other wiper Z6 is also operative with equal pressure. At this stage the plate Ed has not quite engaged the shoe and the wipers are free individually to rock on their respective pivots and adjust themselves to the contour of the adjacent side edge faces of the plates 56, 58 and of the heel end of the insole. As'the crosshead H2 continues its downward movement, the wipers independently move slightly upwardly and rearwardly, pressing against the side edge faces of the plates 56, 58 and riding yieldingly over the upper-as the pins 2H5 are raised and the springs 22c compressed by the rotation of the stub shafts 2532, to wipe'the preformed portion of the upper snugly into attaching position. The wing eX- tensions 222 hold the shank portions of the upper in their approximate relative positions in the finished shoe while the plate 2 3 presses the heel seat flange of the upper down on the insole. The result is that no. gap is permitted to occur between the insole edge face and the upper adjacent to its heel seat flange.

After an appropriate time interval suited to the adhesive being employed, the'springs its raise the crosshead to separate the plate 24 and'wipers 26 from the heel portion of the now assembled and cement attached insole and upper, the portion I12 of the crosshead acting on the collar H5 to raise the rod I'M and so reversing the directionof rotation of the stub shafts 262. The device 20 and support 22 being manually retracted, the treadle 224 is depressed to lower the pin 28 and the toe portion of the upper is released from the detent lit as above described so that the assembled upper and insole may be removed'from the machine for subsequent shoemaking operations either with or without a last.

From the above description it will be appreciated that the machine of the invention aifords, for rights and 'leits of any size of a given or known style, convenient means for cement attaching soles and uppers off the last with their respective throats, tip lines, and lasting margins assuming correct positions that will assure consistently well constructed shoe assemblages and finished shoes.

Having thus described my invention, what I 12 claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for assembling oif the last a sole and an upper. having a premolded end portion, comprising a supportfor one end of the sole, said support having a boundary corresponding with an inner surface of the molded end portion of the upper and being adapted to receive and register said one end portion of the sole in juxtaposition with said premolded end portion of the upper, and means external to said support movable about an axis extending heightwise of the upper for holding the other ends of the sole and upper with their respective corresponding longitudinal axes in redetermined relation, said means being thus movable widthwise to accommodate diiferent degrees of angular swing in the work and said means also being mounted for movement toward and from said support to accommodate different sizes of shoes.

2. In a machine for assembling off the last a sole and an upper having a premolded end portion, the combination with a formed support for one end of the sole and the premolded end portion of the upper superimposed thereover, of a positioning device for receiving the opposite end of the sole, and means adjacent to said device for fixedly holding the margin of the corresponding end of the upper in predetermined alinement with said opposite sole end, said device and means being mounted for joint widthwise movement and for individual movement lengthwise in the general plane of the sole supporting surface of said support.

3. In a machine for assembling an insole with an upper, the combination with means for operating on symmetric back parts of insoles and uppers supported in juxtaposition oif a last, of a device for alining the foreparts of rights of said insoles" with corresponding right uppers or the lefts of said insoles with corresponding left uppers, said device comprising an abutment for determinedly positioning the turning axis of an insole by' engagement with its toe end, means supporting said abutment for lateral movement in widthwise directions to different predetermined positions for right and left insoles respectively and also for movement in a direction lengthwise of each insole, and a clamp associated with said supporting means for holding the lasting margin at the toe of an alined upper in fixed position with respect to the toe end of a positioned insole. V

4. In a machine for assembling oii the last an insole and a shoe upper having a premolded back part, a formed support for the heel end of the insole, said support including insole engaging portions separable widthwise to engage the'inside of the back part of the upper when superimposed on the supported heel end of the insole, means comprising a' pin for registering the insole in relation 'to said support, a movable device'for alining the toe portion of the registered insole with the toe portion of the superimposed upper,

- and means for releasably locking said devicein a predetermined position located either to the right or to the left of a longitudinal axis extending through said formed support.

5. In a machine for assembling off the lastan insole and a shoe upper having a premolded heel end, a symmetric support for theheel end of .the insole and the superimposedmolded heel'end, means mounted for movement toward and from the support for releasably gripping the'marginal toe portion of theuppeig said means beingswingable in the general plane of said support and to the right or the left of the longitudinal axis thereof, means for indexing the degree of such swing of said upper gripping means, and insole toe positioning means mounted on said upper gripping means for swinging movement therewith and for independent movement longitudinally thereof for abutting the insole edge face.

6. In a machine for assembling off the last an insole with an upper having a preformed back part, a composite support for the heel end of the insole, parts of said support being relatively mov-- able to accommodate different widths of insole while engaging adjacent oppositely disposed in side surfaces of the preformed back part, and a forepart locating device movable toward and from said support, said device being mounted for movement a predetermined amount either to the right or to the left of the longitudinal axis of said support and comprising means for holding the so-called turning axes of the foreparts of the insole and upper in predetermined relation.

'7. In a machine for assembling off the last an insole with an upper having a preformed back part, a support for the heel end of the insol and said back part when superimposed, means for enlarging or diminishing the effective supporting surface of said support while bringing its boundary to bear on opposite inside portions of said back part, a forepart locating device mounted for movement to the right or to the left of the longitudinal axis of said support, said device including means for clamping the lasting margin of the upper at its toe end and insole engaging means relatively movable with respect to said clamping means for predeterminedly positioning the turning axis of the insole, means mounting said device for movement relatively to said support to tension the upper lengthwise when clamped, and mechanism for locking the device relatively to the support to maintain the tensioned upper and its insole in their relative positions.

8. In a machine for attaching a sole and an upper having a preformed heel end in shoe forming relation, a movable heel support for receiving the heel ends of the sole and upper in juxtaposition, a forepart locating device movable in the general plane of the supporting surface of the support for engagement with the toe ends of the sole and upper, means for guiding the device toward and from the support and at different angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of the latter, means for releasably locking the device in fixed position relatively to the support when the heel ends and foreparts of the work are loaded, an attaching station, and means for guiding the loaded support and device to a location in registry with said station in their locked relative positions,

9. A machine for attaching in shoe-forming relation oil the last an insole and an upper having a molded heel end comprising a heel support, a forepart locating device for holding the forepart of the insole and upper in predetermined relation when loaded on said support, heel end attaching means adapted to cooperate with said support upon movement of the latter into registry therewith, and wipers respectively operative on the opposite sides of the heel end of the upper to press them inwardly and heightwise thereof adiacent to the heel seat flange of the upper, said wipers being automatically actuated by said means and in advance thereof.

10. A machine for attaching off the last an insole and an upper having a molded heel and comprising an attaching station, a heel support movable toward and from said station, a depressible pin projecting from an insole supporting surface on the support forregistering an insole with relation to the support, a forepart locating device for holding the foreparts of the insole and upper in superimposed predetermined relation when loaded on said support, and means for guiding the loaded support and device while moving in unchanged relative positions to said station, said attaching station including pressure applying members cooperative with the insole supporting surface and the opposite sides of said support.

11. A machine for attaching off the last an insole and an upper having a molded heel end comprising a frame, an attaching station thereon including a movable pressure member, a heel support having a composite heel supporting surface enlargeable widthwise, a slide on which the support is mounted, means associated with said slide for holding the foreparts of the insole and upper in predetermined relation, said means being adjustably movable widthwise and lengthwise of the support, means on the frame by which the slide may be guided to carry the support and forepart holding means in unchanged relative positions to and from the attaching station, a pair of wipers respectively mounted on opposite sides of said station for pressing movement heightwise and heelward of the upper loaded on said support, said wipers being operatively connected to the movable pressure member of said attaching station by pressure equalizing mechanism.

12. In a machine for attaching ofi" the last an insole and an upper having a premolded heel end, a heel support having both an enlargeable composite supporting surface for supporting the insole and edge faces for bearing on opposite sides of the interior of the heel end of the upper when superimposed on said insole, a pressure applying member cooperative with the supporting surface, wipers respectively cooperative with said edge faces to press the heel end of the upper thereagainst, power means for operating said member, and pressure equalizing means respectively connecting said power means and wipers for operating the latter with equal pressure and prior to effective action of said member.

13. A machine as set forth in claim 12 further characterized in that said pressure applying mem her is provided with a yieldable work holddown member cooperative with a portion of said supporting surface prior to cooperation of said wipers with the edge faces of the heel support.

14. In a machine for attaching off the last an insole and an upper in shoe forming relation, a support for the insole having a supporting surface enlargeable widthwise, means for holding the upper superimposed on the supported insole, a pair of wipers respectively cooperative with side edge faces of said support, and means for actuating each of said wipers to cause them to bear on and move heightwise of the upper, said actuating means comprising a toggle extending heightwise of the shoe, one arm of the toggle pivotally carrying one of said wipers and the other arm being mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, and pressure equalizing means connected to said other arm for operating said toggle.

15. A machine as set forth in claim 14 further characterized in that said fixed axes are being divergent from the longitudinal axis of said support to cause said wipers to have a heelward com ponent in their heightwise movement.

16. In a machine for assembling a sole with an upper having a molded heel end, a support for 15 the heel end of the sole,.said=support comprising sole supporting partsadjustable widthw-ise in longitudinally symmetrical formation .and respectively having edge face engageable with internal portions of said. molded heel end adjacent to its heel seat flange when superimposed on the sup port, means projecting from the support for registering the heel end of the sole thereon, a forepart locating device, saiddevice including both a member-engageable with the toe of the registered sole for :determinedly locating-its forepart axis and means for clamping the margin of the toe portion-of the upper-in fixed position relatively to said forepart axis, means for moving said device along a predeterminedpath angularly related to theelongitudinal axis of the support, and means 16 for releasably locking the device relative to said support. 1

1'7. A machine as set forth in claim 16 further characterized in that a back seamindicator is provided adjacent to said support, said indicator being mounted for widthwise movement relatively to the longitudinal axis of said support corresponding with the angularity of said-predetermined path of the device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,694,449 Ricks et a1 Dec. 11, 1928 2,008,072 Hohngren July 16, 1935 2,486,537 Senfleben Novrl, 1949 

